Easthampton City Council says it's up to voters to recall Councilor Donald Cykowski if they want him out

EASTHAMPTON – If anyone wants Easthampton City Councilor Donald L. Cykowski removed from office, it will be up to voters to do it through a recall petition, not the council, nor Cykowski himself, who reiterated that he will not resign.

That, at least, is the gist of the message that Easthampton residents received Wednesday night following a private meeting of the City Council.

The council met in executive session for 20 minutes Wednesday night to talk about Cykowski, and then came out with a six-paragraph statement signed by five members. Two members were absent and two, including Cykowski, did not sign it.

The council held the session following concerns raised in the city over the last several months. Former library Director Rebecca Plimpton had told the Emily Williston library board that Cykowski, a library corporator, harassed her for years before she left the position in 2007. Cykowski has resigned from that board.

As a councilor, Cykowski was criticized in December for an incident at a public meeting in which he said, "Where's a Puerto Rican when we need one?" when a colleague could not open a locked door.

“There is no, nor do we feel there should be, a provision for the Council to remove an elected official," the statement reads. "The voters alone have the right to recall an elected official, and that is through the recall process. The Council believes that any recall effort should be initiated by the voters, and be neither driven nor promoted by the Council."

Councilors stated that the allegation of sexual harassment has not been proven in court and the council has no opinion on that allegation.

Councilors, in the statement, did say that they felt the controversy has had a negative impact on the reputation of the city and the council.

“In light of the documented racial comment made in December 2011, and if the allegations of sexual harassment at the Williston Library are proven true, the undersigned councilors believe councilor Cykowski should consider resignation in the best interest of the City Council and the City of Easthampton.”

Cykowski did not sign the statement and neither did Councilor Chester A. Ogulewicz Jr. Ogulewicz said it’s up to the voters to decide that, not the council.

Council president Justin P. Cobb and Councilor Joy E. Winnie were absent and did not sign the letter.

“They did what they have do,” Cykowski said of the council action.

More than two dozen people attended the council meeting in support of speakers who called for Cykowski to resign.

“Let them talk all they want,” Cykowski said after the council meeting. “I’m not going to resign.”

Some voters, meanwhile, indicated that they will collect signatures for a recall. Under the charter, Cykowski cannot be recalled until six months after the beginning of his term, or July 3.

To recall an at-large elected official, an affidavit signed by at least 400 voters must be filed with the board of registrars stating the name of the elected official and a statement of the grounds for recall.

Then, a recall petition must be signed by 20 percent of the total voters in the last city election and filed within 21 days of the date the petition was issued.

With 11,177 voters on the rolls in November, that means 2,034 must sign the recall petition.

If the recall effort meets that signature threshold, the subject in question has five days to resign. If he or she declines to resign, a special election must be scheduled.